Barnes & Noble announced its exit from the tablet manufacturing business Tuesday, blaming its line of Nook color-screen tablets for poor annual earnings.

Barnes & Noble said future Nook color-screen tablets will be co-branded with third-party manufacturers it has not yet announced.

The book retailer said a 16.8 percent drop in sales of all Nook devices — including its black-and-white e-readers — for the 2013 fiscal year was a big reason for the company’s overall fiscal year revenue being down more than 4 percent to $6.8 billion.

The New York City-based company said its unsold inventory of Nooks was key to company losses of nearly $155 million for the year, nearly 136 percent higher than net losses posted for fiscal year 2012.

The company said the Nook units’ losses before interest, taxes and some noncash costs were $475 million for the year, up from $262 million in losses in 2012.

“We are taking big steps to reduce the losses in the Nook segment, as we move to a partner-centric model in tablets and reduce overhead costs,” company CEO William Lynch said in a statement.

The company said it will continue to make black-and-white e-reader devices, however, and continue to expand offerings in its online store, which saw sales increase 16.2 percent on the year.

Barnes & Noble also said it will offer the color-screen Nook HD and Nook HD Plus models it has on hand “at amazing prices through the holiday.”

16.8%

Amount Barnes & Noble said the sales of all Nook devices — including its black-and-white e-readers — dropped for the 2013 fiscal year.

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